Russia seeks a “buffer zone” stretching from the Arctic to the Mediterranean Sea, the leaders of countries on the EU and NATO’s eastern flank have warned.
Helsinki hosted the first Eastern Flank summit on Tuesday, with the leaders of Poland, Finland, Sweden, the Baltic states, Bulgaria and Romania coming together.
The talks, held against a backdrop of peace negotiations aimed at ending the war in Ukraine, were devoted to regional security in the context Russia’s “profound and enduring threat to European security and stability.”
Describing Europe’s security environment as “drastically changed,” a joint statement by the national leaders described Russia as “the most significant, direct and long-term threat to our security.”
“Russia’s strategic goals remain unchanged: to create a buffer zone stretching from the Arctic region through the Baltic and Black Seas to the Mediterranean,” the statement read.
“The Eastern Flank of the European Union and NATO is at the forefront of this threat, but the threat affects the entire European continent, calling for urgent and coordinated action.”
A new grouping
Those involved in Tuesday’s talks hailed their summit as the beginning of a new international grouping, stretching from Europe’s far north to the south. Poland and Finland will lead the group, the countries’ leaders said afterwards.
“Finally, Europe understands that the protection of our eastern border is a common responsibility,” Polish PM Donald Tusk said. “It’s not just a national duty for Poland, Finland or Lithuania, it’s a common European responsibility.”
Finland’s Petteri Orpo said he had invited his allies to Helsinki because “Europe is facing some of the most serious and existential questions of our time.”
He added: “Personally, I believe this day marks a historic moment in strengthening the defense and security of both the EU and NATO. We are sending a clear and unified message.”
Strategic imperative
In their joint statement, the leaders stressed that NATO remains the mainstay of regional security but also emphasized the need to coordinate and work together with “complementary” EU defense initiatives.
“Complementarity between NATO and the EU is not optional,” the leaders said. “It is a strategic imperative.”
Among complementary efforts specifically mentioned was Poland’s Eastern Shield project to fortify its borders with Belarus and Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave, and the Baltic Defense Line—a joint defensive zone being developed by Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania along their borders with Russia and Belarus.
Also identified as key to complementing NATO provisions was the EU’s Eastern Flank Watch Flagship—a major pan-European defense project put forward by the European Commission as part of its Defense Readiness Roadmap 2030.
The leaders said that these and other plans need to be prioritized and ramped up to meet the challenge of securing Europe in every sphere.
“Reinforcing the Eastern Flank in a coherent manner from North to South requires strong forces and capabilities across all domains—land, air, maritime, cyber and space,” the statement said.